My prediction for the Rose Bowl

It’s been quite a season for Michigan State, but I don’t see it ending on a positive note.

The Spartans have worked hard to get back to the Rose Bowl, and that in itself could be all the accomplishment that Michigan State is looking for.

Stanford has been in this situation, while MSU can clearly get lost in the moment.

It doesn’t help that the Spartans are without defensive leader Max Bullough, either.

Stanford poses the toughest physical test Michigan State has had this season. The Spartans have struggled against physical running backs, and they will see one in this game in Tyler Gaffney. Unlike what Ohio State did with Carlos Hyde, Stanford won’t stop feeding Gaffney. With Bullough out, the Spartans are likely to have a tough time stopping the Cardinal ground game, which should keep the MSU offense off the field.

If Stanford is able to control the ball on offense, it may cause MSU to press on offense, which likely won’t go well. Connor Cook has been composed this season, but is facing a tough defense. His mistakes will be amplified against Stanford. While Jeremy Langford could have another solid game, I don’t think he will be able to do enough on his own to win the game.

Ultimately, the experience of Stanford and the Cardinal’s ability to match MSU’s physical play will lead them to victory. 

Stanford 27, Michigan State 16

Why Michigan State can beat Ohio State

1. Defense – Michigan State has an incredible defense and the toughest defense that Ohio State has seen this season and probably has seen in the two years with Urban Meyer as coach. This year’s unit is better than last season’s group that held the Buckeyes to 17 points in East Lansing. MSU has the ability to match Ohio State’s physicality up front and control the Buckeyes’ running game.

2. The offensive line – Though the Spartans had some questions about the front line entering the season, they have performed well above expectations this season. Opponents have just 12 sacks on the Spartans this year and the line has consistently opened up running lanes for Jeremy Langford, who has gotten better as the season has went along. MSU has the potential to control the pace of this game if the offensive line can win the line of scrimmage against Ohio State.

3. No pressure – While it is clear Michigan State wants to go to the Rose Bowl, the pressure is off the Spartans in this game. MSU is coming in the clear underdog (-6 in most sportsbooks) and the Spartans can play with the mindset of having nothing to lose. Ohio State has not only the pressure to win, but to win convincingly enough to keep the SEC champion behind it in the BCS standings. Also, MSU has been in this very environment and knows what to expect when it comes to game-day atmosphere. Ohio State is in this game for the first time and playing in the biggest game Urban Meyer has faced as its head coach.

Reaction to MSU's 26-13 win over Western Michigan

It was the start of the 2013 college football season for Michigan State Friday night, but it looked more like a replay of the 2012 season.

Sure, the Spartans picked up a 26-13 win over Western Michigan at Spartan Stadium, but Michigan State did little to calm the concerns many have had about this team.

First off, of the 26 points MSU had on the night, 17 were from the defense. The Spartans had two defensive touchdowns and the defense handed MSU three points with an interception inside the red zone that the Spartan offense failed to punch into the end zone.

Michigan State’s offense really didn’t look any different than it did a year ago. Jeremy Langford rushed for 94 yards, but still only averaged 4.7 yards per carry against a Western Michigan defense that probably isn’t going to set records this season. When it comes to the passing game, Michigan State didn’t attack downfield, averaging just 3.1 yards per pass. When MSU did try to make some plays through the air, the Spartan receivers (mainly Bennie Fowler) dropped passes.

Both Andrew Maxwell and Connor Cook did little to plant themselves in as the clear starting quarterback of this team. Each struggled with accuracy. Cook made some plays with his legs but was also lucky to not have had a few interceptions to his credit. Maxwell continued to throw short of the sticks on third down and didn’t show much presence in the pocket when the opportunities were there for him to scramble.

The longest play from scrimmage for MSU was a 26-yard pass to Fowler that was 23 yards of running after the catch. Michigan State lacked in explosive plays and if the Spartans can only average 3.9 yards per play against the Broncos, what are they going to do against good defenses?

On the other hand, MSU proved it once again has an elite defense. The Spartans will be in every game this season because of their defense. They can blitz, they can tackle and they can make plays in the secondary. Pat Narduzzi once again has put a great group together and knows what buttons to push.

The problem for the defense is it has this offense to work with. If Michigan State had any ability to consistently score, it could certainly contend for the Big Ten title.

As good as the defense can be, it will still give up the occasional big play or score. It’s very difficult to pitch a shutout in college football.

It is just the first game of the season, but it was the first game against a weak opponent. I don’t think anyone on MSU’s football team or in the Spartan fan base feels very good about this performance.

How many wins will Michigan State have in 2013?

Michigan State enters the 2013 season coming off a disappointing 7-6 record in 2012.

The Spartans had a defense capable of a much better record, but the offense struggled with consistency all season.

This year, the Spartans seem to have the same question marks they did throughout last season. While the defense looks as if it should be pretty strong again, the offense looks like it could be a continual work in progress.

Can running backs like Riley Bullough, Nick Hill, Jeremy Langford and others combine to produce what Le’Veon Bell did last season?

Can Andrew Maxwell take a step forward as a quarterback, or will Mark Dantonio be forced to hand the ball over to Connor Cook?

Will the receivers improve their pass-catching ability?

The only area the MSU offense seems to be secure in is on the offensive line, but injuries could change that quickly.

When you look at the schedule for Michigan State, there isn’t a lot of challenging home games this season. The year starts with games against Western Michigan, South Florida and Youngstown State all at home. A 3-0 start has to happen.

In conference play, MSU gets to host Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota. Those three home games should be enough to get the Spartans bowl eligible.

MSU also hosts Michigan, which I think is a toss-up right now with the game at home. It will likely be another physical battle like the 2012 game in Ann Arbor.

When it comes to road games, the schedule isn’t too easy for MSU. The Spartans head to Notre Dame, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Northwestern.

MSU’s season will come down to how it plays on the road. While Illinois should be a win, the remaining road games will all be very challenging.

Right now, the “winnable” games give the Spartans 7 wins. However, MSU showed it can lose the “winnable” games last year. Regardless of what it does at home, Michigan State will need to grind out some big road wins if it hopes to contend for a championship or New Year’s Day bowl game.
What are your expectations for Michigan State in 2013?

How many wins will MSU have in the regular season?